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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Savoury South Indian Food at Savoy Cafe

Look for the bright pink awning past the Tim Horton's

I have to admin that I know very little about Indian food in general other than I like the taste of it. I know even less about the different regional cuisines of India, such as what the characteristics of South Indian cuisine are. However, little by little, under the tutelage of @michpetersjones, I am learning and experience all that Indian cuisine has to offer.

Masala Dossa

On this particular outing, @michpetersjones took me to Savoy Cafe, a small South Indian restaurant tucked into a strip mall near Southgate Mall. Unless you knew to look for it, you would never know it existed and would simply pass by it without more than a second glance, the way that I had many times prior to this outing. Although once you know it's there, you really can't miss the bright pink awning!

The restaurant is small and modest, a family run business that has been around for over a decade according to the owner, who says he has no plans to go anywhere and hopes to be in business for many more years to come.

Iddli

They offer a small menu of South Indian food at incredibly low prices, as well as a variety of fresh juice drinks. We indulged on this outing, ordering far more food than we could possibly eat ourselves, just so that we could taste a little of everything.

We started with masala dossa each, which I can claim to never have had before this. It consists of a thin, crispy crepe, enveloping lightly seasoned potatoes that were both delicious and strangely addictive all at the same time. Lest you think that it is eaten like a burrito, like I initially thought, it is actually eaten by breaking off a piece of the crepe, pinching some of the potato in it, and dipped into the sambar or coconut and mint chutney that accompanies it. The sambar is a savory, spiced lentil soup, that combined with the masala dossa makes for a magical combination of flavors - spicy, savoury, and refreshing all at once. @michpetersjones said dossas are often eaten as a breakfast dish in India and when bought at a restaurant, is often larger, like the size of the table we were eating at large - yes, that portion is meant for a single person.

Paratha

Next we tried the iddli with sambar, which is eaten in a fashion similar to the dossa. These steamed rice cakes are light, fluffy, and airy. Although they have little flavor of their own, they take on the flavor of the sambar or the chutney that it is dipped in and is a wonderful vehicle to let those flavors shine.

Lastly, we had a paratha, which is similar to a puff pastry. It is a thin, flat bread, but has a myriad of delicate layers that make it up. It is served with chickpeas and the two are meant to be eaten together. The delicate paratha melts in your mouth, giving way to a tangy, thick mouthful of chickpeas.

The whole meal was quick, moolicious, extremely filling, and inexpensive. Although it is only open for lunch, I would definitely recommend that you take the time to check this place out. I know that I will be back!